Valerie Kampf, writing in the letters pages, protests the Abode Varsity Living student housing project, recently approved by the OMB over the protest of the city and the University of Guelph. She claims that students will be living in a “non-official residence setting”.

Really? I guess she didn’t read the OMB judgment that pointed out the university houses only 5,300 students on campus out of a student body of 22,000. The lady lives in Fergus where she is not affected by the scores of students who flock into Guelph’s single family neighbourhoods. They occupy illegally converted homes that are cut-up into small-scale dormitories with up to 12 students.

She’s not around to witness the “kegger” parties organized by young entrepreneurs when beer is illegally sold and there are no relief facilities. Does she realize that the pubs on the university campus are shut down on weekends thereby forcing students to go downtown to drink or attend a “kegger?”

Thank goodness Abode sees a dire need and sure, it makes money just like the university has been doing for years leasing its lands to private enterprises along Stone Road.

It’s apparent to folks in those neighbourhoods taken over by the students that the university doesn’t give a damn about where students live so long as they pay their tuition and fees.

This is a growing and important issue that council will have to tackle. If it doesn’t, it will be at its peril.

Hello Gerry
I used to work for a company that did repairs to townhouses they owned and rented to mainly university students.Between the damage to the units \
and the keg parties/and the number of students that lived in unit was
always head shaking to me.But the problem we had was you rent the unit to
say 3 students (three bedroom town houses)and then they would rent space out on their own.(Its amazing how many students can be crammed
into a basement (divided by blankets on clothes line).When we came across
such units we reported it to the office and they were either removed or fined.
But the number of ones that were missed would spin your head around.
We would not find out until they gave notice and we went into check premises.(We could not enter unless given primission from tenant).
So I am happy that Abode is building more units near the university but the
problem will always be the same.You rent it to say two students then they
rent the space and divide it into more space to drop the rent.
And the same goes for the university housing.They is no control unless their is a complaint and then it is resolved.
The university is just crying because of the lost revenue not the fact the
kids are in private residences.
This lady that wrote the letter probable either her husband/sister/friend
work at the university and that is why she is crying foul.
Have a great night.

Jerry: Thanks for a great comment. It seems to me that the city bylaw department is not doing its job. Perhaps it is hog-tied by a council that is bashful about dealing with alleged rights of people abusing the system. I predict this will be a major issue when the 2014 election season starts up.